Oregon Institute of Technology, “Oregon Tech,” is proud to announce a generous gift from the James and Shirley Rippey Family Foundation, in support of student scholarships and civil engineering equipment upgrades. This gift will help toward several priority initiatives for the university; enhancing state-of-the-art facilities and providing unique learning opportunities, while increasing the university’s ability to recruit students and provide broader access to educational opportunities.
Student scholarship funding will allow the Oregon Tech Foundation to continue to award the James and Shirley Rippey Family Foundation Scholarship, which has helped 32 students pursue their dreams of obtaining a degree since its establishment in 2012. Additionally, the Rippey Family Foundation continues to believe and invest in the Oregon Tech Finish Line Fund, assisting students who are nearing graduation, but at risk of not completing their degrees due to financial challenges.
Providing students with laboratory and classroom opportunities that directly prepare them for immediate success in industry, the civil engineering equipment upgrade portion of the grant will equip state-of-the art civil engineering laboratories in Cornett Hall. Part of the Engineering Complex on the Klamath Falls campus, Cornett Hall, which was constructed in the 1960s, is currently undergoing a major renovation thanks to bond funding from the State of Oregon and other gifts, as an initiative within the Oregon Tech Foundational Campaign for the Future. The civil engineering laboratories will be an integral part of creating the Engineering Complex that supports an advanced model for innovative teaching and learning for growing engineering programs, featuring maker spaces, adaptable classrooms and cutting-edge laboratory experiences.
In honor of the Rippey Family Foundation’s strong investments in student financial support and project initiatives, Oregon Tech is proud to announce that Cornett Hall will be home to the James and Shirley Rippey Family Foundation Concrete Laboratory.
“We are humbled by the generosity of the Rippey Family Foundation, and inspired by their continued belief in Oregon Tech and our students,” said Oregon Tech president, Dr. Nagi Naganathan. “We thank them for their crucial support for scholarships and civil engineering equipment upgrades, and look forward to celebrating the dedication of the James and Shirley Rippey Family Foundation Concrete Laboratory. The laboratory will exemplify the legacy of the Rippey Family Foundation’s generosity, benefiting students for years to come by providing the space and resources necessary to allow for the exploration, experimentation and innovation that makes our graduates distinctive and career-ready.”
The James and Shirley Rippey Family Foundation is an independent private family foundation located in Oregon. Established in 1993 as the JFR Foundation, the name was changed to the James and Shirley Rippey Family Foundation in 2017. The mission of the James and Shirley Rippey Family Foundation is to support youth services and children’s education in Oregon.
To learn more about the Foundational Campaign for the Future and how to support students at Oregon Tech, visit www.oit.edu/future, or contact Tracy Ricketts, associate vice president for Development and Alumni Relations, at 541.885.1118 or Tracy.Ricketts@oit.edu.
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About the Oregon Tech Foundation
The Oregon Tech Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that promotes and funds the educational, cultural, charitable, and service functions of the Oregon Institute of Technology.
